The Elements of Success: SKIMS Advertising Strategy

In a world where the economy is driven by mass production, advertising plays a key role in allowing the recognizability of brands. Through the use of visual media, a brand can communicate its brand identity, allowing possible consumers to be engaged and charmed. Numerous studies investigated the benefits deriving from the alignment of brand identity and brand image, and how celebrity endorsement and inclusive advertising are powerful tools in this regard. However, the current literature has explored these themes separately, and predominantly through the use of secondary data. This left a gap in understanding how they can work together in real-life brand strategies. This thesis explores the case of SKIMS, an American shapewear brand, co-owned by Kim Kardashian, an international known celebrity. The aim is to understand how a newly founded lingerie brand managed to strike a chord with so many consumers to reach a market value of 4 billion US dollars. Through the study of its advertising strategies, this research investigates how celebrity endorsement and inclusivity played a role in influencing consumer perception. The central question guiding this thesis is: How does SKIMS employ celebrity endorsement and inclusive advertising to influence consumer perception? By employing a two-pronged approach to analyze 50 ad images through semiotic analysis and conducting a survey-based research I was able to first examined how the brand constructs its identity through visual communication, and then assessed how people perceive that identity. The results showcased that SKIMS employs specific visual elements and choices, such as minimalism aesthetic, body-centric framing, uniform styling to emphasize inclusivity and product functionality, and de-glamorizing celebrity endorsement, to better allow the focus on the product. Through the employment of these elements, the brand is perceived inclusive and appealing, by possible consumers, according to the survey data. Nevertheless, despite the relatively positive perception of the brand, and the effectively positive relation between image perception and purchase intention, the latest remained low, suggesting that brand perception alone may not be sufficient to drive consumer purchasing. This study shed light on both advertising broader trends and societal shifts, while it examines how a brand can use specific marketing choices to shape consumer perception and brand recognizability. This investigation opens pathways for potential future research on advertising and consumer perception.